If you have been to db Bistro Moderne recently and noticed a little change, a little difference in the menu, the promotions and events happening there, you are right. There's a new Executive Chef and new Executive Pastry Chef in charge of the kitchen now.
Things are getting exciting under the new Executive Chef Jonathan Kinsella and Executive Pastry Chef Benjamin Siwek.
Feeling a little curious about who Chef Jonathan is, I did a search on Chef Jon and he's quite
amazing. He learns from his father at a young age, and his father is a
certified Master Chef faculty member at the Midwest Culinary Institute.
He has worked in a few places and he decided to come to Singapore this year. His previous stint was at sister restaurant Epicerie Boulud in NYC.
For Chef Benjamin, he's got an IT background. (just like me!) He decided to enrol in pastry school and have been rolling dough and making luscious and delicious bread and desserts. (Maybe I should too eh?)
This was an invited tasting by Marina Bay Sands and db Bistro Moderne, to taste the food by the kitchen team led by Executive Chef Jonathan Kinsella and Executive Pastry Chef Benjamin Siwek.
Always loving the breads here. Still looking the same and as enjoyable.
db Bistro Moderne has concocted 2 interesting drinks for the monsieur and mademoiselle when want to have a drink just before your food.
On the left is "Exit The Dragon" for the gentlemen. It's white rum infused with mandarin. Shaken with Chinese 5 spice syrup and fresh lemon juice.
The shorter glass is "Pink Floyd" for the ladies. A very interesting pomegranate-infused tequila shaken with fresh lemon juice and organic egg white!
Introducing Executive Chef Jonathan Kinsella. He's been cooking professionally since the age of 22!
Here's the tasting menu prepared for us that night.
Some of these items are available for the on-going Mondays at Daniel Boulud. The new "Mondays" menu starting from April 8 will feature the best from Chef Daniel's New York "originals". As part of their 20th anniversary of Chef Daniel's flagship Restaurant Daniel, dishes from the iconic Restaurant Daniel and also other New York restaurants will rotate on the menu here in Singapore every Monday.
Seafood and Vegetable Aioli.
A very light and quite satisfying start to your meal if you order this. A platter of poached seafood like cod, mussels and prawns with a variety of seasoned and raw vegetables.
I know if I order this for the wife, she will be very happy. She mixes this and eats similar stuff for her lunches.
I just thought this piece of vegetable is just too beautiful not to show! Isn't Romanesco broccoli / cauliflower so captivating?
This dish is available during Brunch / Lunch / Dinner time.
Boulud Sud's Mediterranean Mezze
This is a "Monday Night's Only" Classic NYC Dishes masterpiece. A combination of Herb Falafel, English Pea Hummus, Sheep's Milk Ricotta and House Made Socca Chips. I heard people really the falafel here.
A peep behind the Socca Chips, chopped olives on English pea hummus. I like the hummus and it goes well with the socca chips and falafel.
This dish is available only on Monday Nights.
Cheese Choux Pastry
For our nibbling.....
Chardonnay, Au Bon Climat, Cuvée Daniel, Santa Barbara, CA 2010
That was served with our next dish.
Seared Diver Scallops
This was the appetizer portion (main course portion available too) of a very delicious scallops. Nicely seared scallops that was served with crispy smoked bacon! Every since I was introduced to hand picked scallops picked by divers, you pretty much want it when you see it. (My sis will agree with me about hand picked scallops!)
It was nicely seared on the sides and tender and juicy inside, the picture above and below both hides the nicely done scallops. (It takes practice to do this, I have ruined lots of scallops trying to do this at home. )
A top view of it, the scallop was resting on English Pea Mousse and whole peas and surrounded by Carrots Lemon Chicken Jus. DB is American and so is the chef. Carrots and Peas are something they grew up with. I think Americans will love this. A quail egg rest on top giving it a nice pretty touch.
This dish is available during Dinner time.
Saffron Tagliolini
Chef Jonathan was saying that he tasted one of the chef's spanner crab dishes at recent Epicurean Market and was captivated by it. He thought he will use spanner crab as one of the ingredients for his dishes. This is it.
The saffron pasta is from Chef Daniel's recipe. Other ingredients includes tomatoes, chilli, Italian Parsley and Lemon and Olive Oil. I am sure you can imagine the taste profile from the ingredients listed.
We had the appetizer portion. (also available as Main Course portion). If you like pasta and one that taste a little tangy, a little hint of heat (spicy kind) with some simple seafood like spanner crab. This might be your kind of pasta. A nice alternative for those who don't like tomato based version of pasta.
(I like that plate!)
This dish is available during Lunch and Dinner time.
Herb Roasted Organic Chicken Provençal.
This was one awesome chicken that we tasted! Yes, if you remember about the French Chicken, born in French, grew up in Malaysia and cooked in Singapore in a previous post, it's the same breed of delicious chicken.
The chef brought out the chicken that has been nicely roasted for us. On the same pan were Heirloom Beans, Carrots and the herbs stuffed in the cavity of the chicken that was used to roast it.
It's not ready to be eaten, but we were already salivating when Chef brought it out for us to view for like 5 seconds before it was taken back into the kitchen.
While the chicken was cooking, we had Sancerre Rouge, Les Romains, Gitton 2008 to go with the chicken.
Chef came back with the chicken and poured the sauce made from reduction of wild mushrooms and natural chicken jus. (with other things that I can't taste haha)
This dish is something that you should try and get truly satisfied. It's good quality chicken, so no matter which part of the chicken you have, it's very enjoyable. The texture of the meat is just so tender and succulent.
The sauce which has the very flavourful chicken jus and wild mushrooms really makes you want to lick up every drop of it. I really liked the beans and carrots too. It's one of the must orders here.
This dish is available for Dinner every night.
Executive Pastry Chef Benjamin Siwek
I think this guy is bold! He's making interesting desserts and using the King and Queen of Fruits! Yes, durians and mangosteens! Not only is he using Durians, he is using Jackfruit another fruit that has a strong smell in his desserts!
Milk Chocolate Mousse Cake
It just reminds me of a scouts bonfire. No, it's not going to be flambéed. It's plays with texture and taste for chocolate lovers. Crunchy and smooth bits with different kinds of chocolates.
This dish is available during Lunch / Dinner time.
Durian "Royale" Soufflé
Ooops, when this was served, we were busy eating the previous dessert, we forgot the soufflé will sink. Caught it in time before everything flattens. This was durian soufflé from a French pastry chef! We were told by MBS PR lady, they had lots and lots of versions before they could settle with this one.
My parents would probably not have it because they will only eat their durian by the fruit and in nothing else. They always wondered why people even eat durian ice cream when you can get fresh durian. They will freeze durian if they want it cold and ice cream like.
The wife who don't eat durian might eat it if she has it with the mangosteen sorbet (on the right) together with the durian soufflé.
The durian smell is not that strong until you put it in your mouth. If you have the mangosteen sorbet, it kinds of mask the smell of durian after.
This dish is available during Brunch / Lunch / Dinner time.
Rhubarb Tart.
Sorry, but I am not a fan of rhubarb. To me, it's just not my kind of food. Rhubarb to me is tart. So it's a tart tart. I am not saying the above is not nice, it's just not for me. It's my brother's kind of food. He orders Rhubarb whatever when he sees it on a menu, something which I can't fathom!
I know there are fans of rhubarb out there just like my brother, so this is for you!
This dish is available during Lunch / Dinner time.
Jackfruit Verrine
Chef has used local ingredients we are familiar with and make them into a nice little French-Peranakan dessert! Made from Coconut Tapioca, Lime, Jackfruit and Palm Sugar Ice Cream.
French dessert techniques and local ingredients. Something that works and works well for me.
This dish is available during Lunch / Dinner time.
Signature Petit Madeleines
Always a nice little sweet touch to all meals at db Bistro Moderne.
It was a very interesting night of tasting the food of the new team at db. Some of the food we had are available on Monday nights. Others are only available for dinner. Do check out their website for more details.
Baby Sitting by Chef Benjamin Siwek
For parents who are wondering how to 'deal' with the children during the coming school holidays, here's some good news. Let Chef Benjamin Siwek baby sit them! He's conducting the db Bistro Moderne "Junior Pastry Academy". A series of specialty pastry workshops will take place at 3 PM across the five Saturdays in June. It's opened to children aged 5-12 years old! The 90 minute session will focus on different theme as follows: 1 June - Yogurt Cake, 8 June - Brownies, 15 June - Cupcakes, 22 June - Cookies, 29 June - Candy Bars.
Priced at $75 per child, this includes sweet treats and champagne for the child's accompanying parent. For more baby sitting details, contact db Bistro Moderne.
db Bistro Moderne
B1-48 Galleria Level
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands (across from the theater)
2 Bayfront Avenue
Singapore 018972
Tel: +65 6688 8525
Hours:
Lunch: Monday to Friday: Noon to 5pm
Weekend Brunch : Saturday – Sunday: 11AM – 5PM
Dinner : Sunday & Monday: 5:30pm to 10PM, Tuesday – Saturday: 5:30PM – 11PM